1836. j Hints regarding the Cape of Good Hope. 136 



prices of goods for sale in shops are the same for all 

 customers ! you are if you have any regard for your own in- 

 terest to understand, that the sum asked of you is not the 

 real market value of the article, and what you ought to pay 

 for it, but the measure of the party's conscience who makes 

 the demand ! Therefore do nothing without making your 

 bargain beforehand ! and first for boat hire — you should 

 land your family for six shillings at the highest, if the 

 weather is fine, but, beware, the boatmen will charge sepa- 

 rately for every person, not of your family, whom you may 

 invite to land with you, unless you have taken the boat spe- 

 cifically without reference to whom your party may consist of. 



You should go on shore, in the first instance, yourself, and 

 secure quarters. The climate admits of your walking, if not 

 a great invalid, but if you require a conveyance, a person, 

 from the stables generally comes on board to take instruc- 

 tions ; the conveyances are carriages and buggies, and the 

 rates of hire about the same as at Madras. 



You must go to the Custom House, and get a permit for 

 landing your baggage, specifying if you can the number of 

 packages you will require ; and a separate order, after paying 

 the duties, for liquors and conveyances. These you will de- 

 posit with the searchers, or tide-waiters on the wharf, and 

 your boatman (with whom you had better make a bargain for 

 all your work) will procure waggons or coolies to convey your 

 baggage ; and their hire is best arranged by bargain, for 

 they will scarcely work for a new comer at the regulated 

 price. 



You will do well, with a family, to go to a lodging house 

 for a few days ; there are abundance of them — the best are 

 Mrs. Vanschoor's, Mrs. Cambier's and Miss Rabes'. The 

 terms are generally the same per day, but if your party is 

 large, or you propose remaining some time, say beyond a fort- 

 night, you will be able to obtain a reduction. The usual 

 rate is rix dollars 6 per day per head for adults, 3 for a 

 child, and 1 for a servant; I have known it reduced to 5,1, 

 and \ respectively : this provides lodging, breakfast, dinner 

 and tea, with Cape wine and beer. You may make a very 

 reasonable bargain for board and lodging (at a second rate 



